2015 Mustang Convertible – Advanced Drop-Top

Amie WilliamsAssociate Online Editor

February 27, 2014

Making a convertible isn’t as easy as chopping off the roof of a fastback, adding a cloth roof and calling it a day. An advanced convertible top was designed for the new convertible making it the quickest functioning top yet. However, that is not the only difference between the convertible and fastback – Ford designed two different cars from the ground up, adding slight visual changes as well as meeting increased quality, performance and refinement standards.

“Convertible tops and iconic sports cars like Mustang have always been a great pairing,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “This is the best convertible we’ve ever built with a one-of-a-kind design that is instantly recognizable as Mustang and an outstanding all-around driving experience.”

The new 2015 Mustang convertible roof uses a electromechanical drive and single-handle center latch that lowers in half the time of the current model Mustang, and is easier than ever by pushing a button in the center console. A standard fabric outer layer wraps around a fully-lined roof and an insulated headliner inside of a five-bow structure to provide a quieter, more relaxing ride.

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“From the start, we committed to giving Mustang convertible a unique look from the fastback with the clean, cohesive design it deserved ,” said Joel Piaskowski, exterior design director. “From the raised and straightened muscle line on the rear haunches to the recontoured trunklid, the new Mustang convertible has a more linear quality whether the top is up or down, giving the car its own distinct presence on the road.”

This new convertible stands on its own with a more compact roof and independent rear suspension contributing to larger trunk space by 19 percent despite a premium audio subwoofer. As the result, the trunk is capable of holding two golf bags.

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“A great deal of effort went into details such as the shape of the rear quarter windows so that they could drop completely out of sight when the top is down,” said Piaskowski. “The top system was carefully refined to prevent unsightly folds or ‘ears’ at the rear corners of the roof when it’s up.”

A more compact mechanism and lower beltline help with a flatter Z-fold roof that is tucked further out of the way than in previous models. The folded stack in the 2015 Mustang reaches a height of 6.7-inches lower than the current model, giving the body a more streamlined and sophisticated look as well as giving the driver more visibility.

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“When you’re sitting in the driveway or at a traffic light and you decide you want to enjoy some sunshine, you shouldn’t have to wait around for the top to lower,” said Pericak. “Our team worked to engineer a retractable roof that gets out of the way or closes up quickly and quietly.”

The dramatically-upgraded cabin helps make the 2015 Mustang an improved sports car with a plethora of technology at the fingertips. Also, high-strength steels are used throughout the body structure in the 2015 Mustang convertible and the fastback.

Torsional stiffness within the convertible body has been increased by 13 percent for a more stable platform that reacts well to a fully-independent suspension refining ride quality no matter the road surface, and allows the Mustang to dive right into those curves.